


Good Tidings

by dearmrsawyer



Series: pokémon au [6]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Gen, Louis' birthday!, a brief appearance by Geoff Payne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearmrsawyer/pseuds/dearmrsawyer
Summary: Niall laughs. “Planned to surprise you when you emerged from your room this morning but you’ve hung me out to dry on that one, haven’t you.”“He’s all yours to do with what you will, get him out of my sight,” Jay says, swinging a stern finger towards the doors, but there’s a twinkly in her eyes.
Series: pokémon au [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1430077
Comments: 8
Kudos: 4





	Good Tidings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silvered_glass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvered_glass/gifts).



> For Silv, who asked if i would perhaps be inspired to write a seasonal installment, which got me thinking! The concept of this fic is partially based on something we do here in Australia. Local councils arrange for a person dressed as Santa to walk the main roads of our suburbs and give sweets to kids, which is one of my favourite memories of childhood Christmases. It was so exciting to hear Santa's bell approaching and run out to meet him! Also, 'present' is one of Delibird's attack moves and has been repurposed for this fic. 
> 
> [Here](http://bit.ly/2DXdyZ9) you can find a doc with the names and images of every pokémon mentioned in this series, for those who need it. This wasn't beta'd so any mistakes are the result of 12 hours of Christmas Eve baking. Happy birthday to Louis and Merry Christmas all who celebrate!

“What are you doing?”

Jay is an intimidating presence in the doorway between reception and the staff area, hands on her hips and an expression Louis has grown well accustomed to in his twenty-eight years. Well—twenty-nine.

“ _God_ mum, announce yourself.” Louis drops the hand he has pressed to his chest. “Just checking on the poliwag that came in yesterday, that alright with you?”

“We’ve got that well in hand, thank you, now off with you! This is no day for you to be working.”

“Alright alright, let me know how she goes.” He bats at his mother’s hands, which are pressing him out into the foyer by his behind. He drops his key card into her waiting hand and ducks away when she goes to ruffle his artfully dishevelled hair.

“Mum, you’ll ruin my look.”

“Men of twenty-nine don’t need a look.”

“Tell that to Zayn.”

“Zayn’s twenty-seven.”

The clean swish of the Pokémon Centre’s front doors precedes a very exasperated Niall, who’s hair looks like it’s already had the Jay treatment.

“There you are! Been looking all over for you.”

“Where else did you think I would be?”

“Not at work!” Niall laughs. “Planned to surprise you when you emerged from your room this morning but you’ve hung me out to dry on that one, haven’t you.”

“He’s all yours to do with what you will, get him out of my sight,” Jay says, swinging a stern finger towards the doors, but there’s a twinkle in her eyes. A young woman waiting at the counter appears quite scandalised at the display. Niall salutes Jay with one hand and takes a firm grip of Louis’ shoulder with the other, steering him out.

“Ow—easy! Don’t know your own strength, lad.”

“Nah, reckon your bones are just getting brittle in your old age. Happy birthday.”

He gives Louis a warm hug once they’re outside. It’s a little chilly out, but the sky is clear and Louis squeezes Niall’s light sweater under his fingers. He feels a little zap at his elbow. Jolteon is standing chipper at his side, and Butterfree is fluttering happily above him.

“Hello you two. You know, I like you much better since you evolved,” he says to Butterfree, who bobs with delight. He turns back to Niall, who winks at Butterfree. “So, what’s this grand surprise you planned to present me with this morning?”

“That hug. Know how much you love a cuddle.”

“Special birthday hug?”

“Yep. Felt different from the one I gave you yesterday, didn’t it?”

“Definitely had a touch of clefairy dust to it.”

“Come on.” Niall pushes a backpack Louis hadn’t noticed into his arms. “We’re going on a day trip, don’t want to miss our train!”

“You’re not taking me back to Viridian Forest, are you?” Louis follows Niall’s eager steps with cautious ones, slinging both arms into his backpack without question. “One bug catching trip was more than enough for a lifetime.”

Louis catches the second half of an eyeroll when Niall spins around, but he covers it with a solemn expression, raising one hand as if he were being sworn in for testimony. “I will not be subjecting you to torture on this, your special day, I promise.”

“Well alright, lead on!”

***

Zayn had promised to meet them at the PokéPub for drinks after wrapping up his delivery route, and as promised is stood by the entryway with one foot up against the wall when they arrive. He gives Louis a gentle hug, his cheek bristly against Louis’ ear.

“Oh sorry,” he winces when he pulls back. “Forgot to be gentle on your old bones now.”

“Shove off,” Louis pushes him into Niall, who’s cackling. “Liam and Harry here?”

“Dunno, maybe inside already.”

Harry has grabbed a booth out in the garden, a round of drinks ready and waiting for them all.

“How was Louis’ big day out?” Zayn asks, accepting a bottle from Harry with thanks. “Any bugs join the family?”

“Good to know where I would’ve ended up if you’d been in charge!” Louis reaches across the table to flick Zayn in the forehead, but he pulls out of Louis’ reach and manages a long pull of beer while smiling with self-satisfaction.

“As a matter of fact, I took Tommo to see the berry man!”

“The berry man?” Harry asks.

“The berry man,” Louis agrees.

“Who’s the berry man?”

“A wise old fella who lives in Cerulean city. He grows dozens of berry trees and mixes his own healing potions.”

“Practically an alchemist!” Louis says. “My mum’s only been able to get her hands on two shipments from him in the last few years, refuses to go industrial but he’s got so many buyers the supply is always gone by the time anyone outside Cerulean City enquires. Dunno how Niall managed it, but it was proper amazing to see him work.”

Niall crosses his arms, smug. “Bug catchers, we know people.”

Zayn raise’s an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Wait till mum sees the stock I came home with today.” Louis pats his backpack. He slings an arm around Niall, who comes easily. “Thanks again for today, lad, best day trip I’ve ever been on.”

“Only day trip you’ve ever been on,” Niall says, but he’s beaming and a little rosy in the cheek.

Harry raises his bottle. “To Louis’ birthday!”

“Louis!” Zayn and Niall echo at the same time Louis says, “me!” They clink bottles and all take liberal swigs.

Tinsel lines the garden fence and the shrubs twinkle with little lights even though it’s still daylight. There are children fluttering excitedly all over the town square. Louis scans the area, sure he knows what’s sending them into such a flurry, when the bench beside him groans under a new weight.

“Happy birthday, mate.” Liam gives his arm an affectionate squeeze and grabs the bottle Harry offers him, tapping the neck against Louis’.

“Payno! Your dad out yet?”

“Yep, should be coming down this way soon.”

As if on cue, Louis hears a distant bell, immediately followed by the crescendo of children’s screams. An endless string of parents are pulled by the wrist past the PokéPub garden and towards the far corner of the square. A red hat appears around the corner; the wearer is hidden by flocking figures, but Louis is plenty familiar with it.

Harry stands so fast his knees hit the table. “Wait, _Santa_?”

Louis grimaces. “Please tell me they know Santa isn’t real in Pallet Town.”

“Come on, Lou, you’ll ruin the magic for him!” Zayn mock whispers.

Harry flaps a hand between them. “Stop being mean, I just didn’t realise they still did this in Pewter City! My mum drove me up here once when I was little so I could meet Santa, I figured the tradition had probably died out since then.”

“Hey, you must’ve met my granddad!” Liam beams.

Harry blinks back at him. “So that’s your—?”

“Yep, dad took over about ten years ago.”

“Liam here will be next,” Louis says, clapping Liam on the shoulder.

“I don’t know,” Liam hums, “Nicola’s pretty keen to put on the suit.”

“Does he still have his little helper?” Harry interrupts in a forcefully even tone, eyes no longer blinking.

“Sure does.”

The crowd fans out just enough to let Geoff in his jolly red suit cross the square, greeting kids as he goes. His usual tidy moustache is hidden behind a big, white bushy beard. He’s accompanied by a tall delibird with full plumage over its red body and a large sack slung over his shoulder. They both stop in a circle of children, all of whom are waving excitedly.

“Delibird,” Geoff says, “Present!”

The children bounce with anticipation as Delibird swings its sack down onto the ground and reaches inside. A rainbow of light stirs from within the sack before Delibird retrieves a handful of sweets, which it hands to the waiting audience.

“Aw,” Harry smiles.

Niall pokes his bicep him. “You wanna go meet them? Get a sweet.”

“I absolutely do,” Harry says, legs already halfway out of their booth.

“Harry’s having a better birthday than me,” Louis laughs, watching them join the circle of infants waiting for their turn to hug Delibird and receive their sweet. Niall waves at Geoff, who waves back, and Harry’s shoulders hunch bashfully when Niall nudges him forward.

“Oh damn,” Liam says, his eyes wide like a lightbulb’s gone off inside. “I just realised, when it comes time for Harry’s gym battle. He’s gonna have to defeat Santa.”

Zayn gives a sympathetic ‘aw’. “That’ll knock that childish innocence out of him.”

Louis raises his bottle. “Happy birthday to me, after all.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You can find the tumblr post [here](https://dearmrsawyer.tumblr.com/post/638385161874046976).


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